Highway 10 turnback construction okayed

A big step toward the major road construction project in Staples this summer was taken Feb. 23 when the city council, following a public hearing, okayed the Highway 10 turnback project and ordered plans and specifications to be completed.

Next Tuesday, the council is expected to okay those plans and advertising for the bids. They will be received in April, with the successful contractor likely to begin the project about mid-May.

The estimated $5.8 million project will result in the tearing up of the city’s Second Avenue (old Highway 10) virtually from east to west city limits, with the city to replace water and sewer lines under the road prior to resurfacing and replacement of curb, gutter, sidewalk and other improvements, including streetscape elements in the commercial area.

The project’s east end is at 12th Street N.E. (Super America) and will go to about 600 feet west of First Street N.E., west of the Spot Cafe and near Ken’s Collision Center.

The public hearing was not without some comments from the few people who attended. Margaret Dyer, who noted she was living at the corner of Second Avenue and 7th Street when the existing concrete roadway was installed about 1948, said she was opposed to the cost. She objected to the $35 per front foot assessment she expects to receive for her 150 foot lot facing Second Avenue. “Now I have to put $5,200 into a house I can’t get rid of,” she said.

She will not have to pay for new service lines for water and sewer, since those city services come in from 7th Street in front of her house. City staff also noted there is a deferment of assessments for senior citizens if they request it. Such a deferred assessment would have to be paid when the property is sold.

Kevin Roline, whose American Family Insurance agency is at the corner of Second Avenue and Fourth Street, questioned if he will have to pay for both sides of his corner lot, since the project includes the 100 and 200 blocks of Fourth Street. Both engineer Tim Houle and City Administrator Nathan Mathews responded that the city has a long established assessment policy for corner lots. “Corner lots are assessed at 100 percent of the short side and 50 percent of the long side,” Mathews told him.

Sean Bhogadia, owner of the Sunset Motel at the west end of the city, was just the opposite of the others at the hearing. His property is not included in the project and he wants to be served by city sewer lines. He asked why the project stopped just short. Engineer Houle explained the project stops at the creek/drainage ditch just east of his property. Houle said the ditch is the low point of that end of the project. To serve his motel would require the addition of a lift station, which would make that portion of the project too expensive.

The city also received letters regarding the assessment from the National Joint Powers Alliance and the Nyhus Chevrolet Buick dealership.

Prior to the public comments, Houle had outlined the history of the project, described the improvements and detailed the estimated costs and where the funding was coming from.

Second Avenue has served as the main highway through town since even before 1948. The new Highway 10 was constructed a block south in 2007-08 and now the state is turning the old roadway back to the city. Before it does, the state is re-building the roadway, contributing to the project from the state turnback fund. The project is estimated at $5.8 million, with the state paying for the new street, sidewalks and retaining walls where needed, plus a portion of storm sewer and some streetscape items. The city is paying for sanitary sewer and water main replacements, some of the storm sewer and a portion of the streetscape.

Todd County is also involved, as the state has to turn the street back to the county. Currently Second Avenue is being termed a County State Aid Highway, but it will be turned over to the city after reconstruction.

Adjoining property owners along Second Avenue and other affected streets will be assessed at the $35 per front foot rate. That will cover approximately onethird of the total cost for the streetscape items, curb, gutter and sidewalk. The other two-thirds will be paid by the city through city general funds and bonding.

Water and sanitary sewer service lines to each home or business will be replaced along the project. This cost to the property owners is estimated at $2,300 for the residential services and $3,100 for commercial. Any work outside the highway right of way will also be the responsibility of property owners.

Assessments can be paid either in full without interest or paid with property taxes on an installment plan over a specifi ed period of years with interest. Exact details will be determined when the final assessments are done after the construction is done. Past city terms have been about 6 percent interest and vary in length depending on the amount from seven to 15 years.

Houle once again said construction cannot be down without noise, dust, mud and rough roads at times. There will be some disruption of normal travel in the project area, he said. They will work with the contractor to minimize problems. The plan is to not block two adjacent intersections during construction and to provide access to businesses at all times. However, businesses need to plan ahead on how to direct customers to a back door while their front door is inaccessible.

In addition to the Second Avenue work, this summer’s project will also include work on:

o Fourth Street from Highway 10 to Third Avenue (two blocks)

o Second Street, from Second Avenue (Burger King) to Third Avenue N.E. (High School)

o 9th Street from Second Avenue to Third Avenue

o 11th Street from Second Avenue to Third Avenue

o 12th Street from just north of Highway 10 to south of Third Avenue.